Clean Energy opens RNG fueling station in NYC

By Clean Energy Fuels Corp. | July 11, 2019

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Clean Energy Fuels Corp., the leading provider of natural gas fuel for transportation in North America, welcomed city officials, community leaders, and environmental advocates to the opening of its newest natural gas fueling station in Hunts Point—the first station in New York City to exclusively offer renewable natural gas (RNG) for medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleets.

“A few blocks from here is Hunts Point Market, the largest food distribution center of its kind in the world, resulting in approximately 15,000 truck trips per day,” said Chad Lindholm, vice president of sales for Clean Energy. “This long-envisioned station will serve fleets operating in Hunts Point with a lower-cost alternative to diesel fuel that can lead to substantial reductions in truck-related pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.”

The Hunts Point station will exclusively offer Clean Energy’s Redeem, the first commercially available RNG vehicle fuel derived from capturing biogenic methane emitted from decomposing organic materials at dairies, landfills, and wastewater treatment plants. Redeem enables at least 70 percent reduction in carbon emissions when displacing diesel or gasoline, according to California Air Resources Board estimates.

Trucks fueling with Redeem represent a significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For example, 100 trucks running on RNG can lower GHG as much as 9,294 metric tons annually. This is equivalent to planting 237,942 trees, removing 1,961 cars off the road or recycling 3,331 tons of waste that would otherwise be sent to the landfill.

“I applaud and congratulate Clean Energy today on making a renewable natural gas fueling station a reality for Hunts Point trucking fleets in the South Bronx. Natural Gas trucks, particularly ones fueled by renewable natural gas, have a tremendously low carbon footprint, which is important for communities disproportionately affected by diesel emissions,” said NYC DOT Bronx Borough Commissioner Nivardo Lopez. “The addition of this station now makes possible and plausible the transition of large portions of Hunts Point fleet industries to this cleaner, domestically produced fuel.”

“This new Hunts Point station is no ordinary fueling station. It is the first in the City to supply only the renewable form of natural gas made from waste,” said Joanna Underwood, founder, Energy Vision. “Private and public fleets that fill up here can provide their critical services with virtually no health-threatening air pollution or greenhouse gases. Bravo to Clean Energy for helping our City achieve its clean air and climate goals.”

Already preparing to fuel at the station are local fleets that operate natural gas-powered trucks including Baldor Specialty Foods, Manhattan Beer Distributors, and U.S. Concrete, which were on display at the grand opening.

“The new natural gas fueling station opening in Hunts Point is a great steppingstone to help move the trucking industry into the next generation of fueling options for our fleets,” said Baldor Express Transportation Manager Thomas Galm. “The availability of CNG in our area opens the opportunity for more fleets to add CNG-powered vehicles to their fleets where these options previously did not exist. We expect increased savings to our fuel budget as well as a greatly diminished carbon footprint for the environment.”

“Now that the Clean Energy station is in service in Hunts Point, we can continue increasing our CNG fleet,” said Juan Corcino, director of fleet operations, Manhattan Beer Distributors. “The station provides the support we need to confidently upgrade our fleet to 100 percent CNG.”

“This station is important to New York City’s Hunts Point Clean Truck Program, which long has been seeking ways to lower transportation-related pollution that contributes to unhealthful air in The South Bronx,” said Lindholm. “We’re pleased to fulfill the demand for clean, renewable natural gas within this major transportation hub in New York City.”

In addition to Hunts Point, Clean Energy operates four natural gas stations in New York City, consisting of stations at LaGuardia and JFK Airports, and two stations in Brooklyn.